Alyson walked further into the place staring at Alekzandor. "You're home?"

He nodded. "Yes, this is my home. My realm."

She stopped and looked around, inspecting the place. "Not what I expected of a realm of madness."

He laughed. "Well, this is merely the management residential section, they actual insanity goes on outside these walls, away from the more volatile residents."

She laughed as well, "I can see how having them in your private home might be an issue. So will I be seeing the rest of the place?"

"Not if I have any say in the matter. This place, and perhaps the beach you saw, will be the only places you will see while you are here."

"I would like to see it again." She said taking a cautious step forward.  "In the mean time, perhaps you could tell me what exactly I'm doing here?"

He watched her, she seemed a little nervous, but over all she seemed very pleased to be here. He could feel the excitement, the anticipation washing over her, and his own beat within his racing heart. "There's always a price when a Divine grants a wish."

She nodded. "Right, but I didn't expect you to pull me to your realm. Won't I be missed?"

"You're not really here." He said looking back out the window, implementing a few changes in his realm so he could spend time with her without worry. "You're body is back at the hospital and it's still perfectly healthy besides a few injuries. You're mind, soul, is here. You're dreaming, but not dreaming."

"If there's a whole sciency explanation thing there, I'd rather you save it for someone who could actually understand that language." She said holding up a hand to stop him. "So I'm dreaming, but anything that happens to me in this form, happens to my body back at the hospital."

He nodded, "That's right."

"So, why am I here?" She asked again. "You still haven't given me a straight answer."

He stepped toward her. "I wanted to try something, and the only way I could do it, is to have you here in this form."

"What would that be?"

He raised his hand slightly and rested it against her cheek. Her heart beat faster in her chest and heat rose into cheeks. He was touching her, shouldn't that be impossible? 

"You can touch me?"

"I could always touch you, I didn't because doing so would have slowly killed you're very soul as your mind descended further into madness. I didn't because I didn't want to hurt you in that way."

"But you can touch me in this form?"

He rested his forehead against hers and smiled, "Apparently I can."

She wasn't sure what he was planning on doing next, but seeing him like this, so happy at the simplest of touches, she threw her arms around his neck and rested her lips against his own. His response was immediate, there was no shock on his end, no hesitation, as he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her tightly against him, and deepened the kiss. Sliding his tongue over hers as he explored her mouth with this own, coaxing her to do the same to him. 

Alyson responded, and kissed him in a way she had never kissed before. Rick had tried to have these kinds of kisses before, and she had to stop them before she threw up in his mouth. With Alekzandor, she only wanted more, she mimicked his movements, and pushed her body even further against his own.

She wished there was bed, so they could see where was going. As she moved her head to let him nibble at her ear and neck, she opened her eyes and froze, there, not six feet from them, was the exact bed she had imagined. A large, four poster king size bed. When she frozen, Alekzandor had pulled back and looked in the direction she had as well. 

"Thanks for the bed." She smiled looking back at him. "I didn't realize you could read minds as well."

Alekzandor looked back at her, "I can't, and I didn't make that."

Her face fell. "Then . . . I made that?"

"Doubtful, only Divines can make changes to their own realm." He said looking back toward the bed. "I guess I can read your mind. That's the only explanation I can think of."

She looked up at him. "Well, you didn't bring me here to sit and play chess the entire time, or have an outrageous tea party. That kissed proves it."

He looked back at her, and looked her up and down. "Are you sure? Whatever changes occur here, will happen to your body. You won't be a virgin on your wedding night."

She looked at the bed for a long moment. He was right, her birthday was in a month, and her wedding would happen almost immediately afterwards. But being here, and looking around the place now, and lingering her gaze on the bed, she knew, deep down, if she went through with this, the wedding wasn't going to happen. She didn't know what events were going to stop it, she didn't know if what had already happened had changed things for Rick, or if Ethan and her mother were going to step in. She didn't know what was going to happen, but she did know things would be set in motion because of her choices here. 

She looked back at him and took her face in her hands. "Do you not want me?"

He shuddered at her hands touching him, and took hold of them, resting them against her chest. "More than I've ever wanted anything in my entire life."

She took a step back and backed up toward the bed. "Then, take what you want."

Alekzandor stepped toward her, held her tightly against him as he crushed his lips against her own. 

_ _ _ _ 

In the Heart, Olivia looked up at the ceiling and gasped. 

Hektor immediately rose onto his side and looked down at her, "My love, are you alright?"

She looked at him and smiled. "Yes, I'm fine.  It's done, he took my advice."

He leaned down and kissed her. "Thank you for your help."

She kissed him back and giggled. "You're very welcome my heart."

They began to deepen the kiss when there was a bang, and a shout from outside. "Mother! Father!"

They both groaned as they got out of bed, and dressed. Taking their movements slow, as they did so. They opened their door there stood Thalia. Not that they expected it to be anyone else. Her face was contorted with rage and determination. She was about to stomp into the room, but they used their magic to keep her from doing so. Instead she was left fuming on their front stoop. 

"I can't get into Alekzandor's realm! I need you to go to him and override his power and let me in there so I can see my son!"

"No." they both said at the same time. 

"Excuse me!?" She shrieked at them. 

"You have no authority here," Hektor reminded her. "I am your father, and I am the King of the Divines. If Alekzandor has closed off his realm, he has a good reason to, and you don't need to be concerned about it. We can sense that everything is okay with Alekzandor, and is realm is quiet, peaceful actually considering some of the vibes we all gotten from there in the past. Everything is okay."

"No it's not!!" Thalia yelled at them. "Alyson is in a coma, and Alekzandor has closed off his realm! Doesn't that strike you as odd? He must have abducted her! He must have taken her soul there! We have to stop him before he doesn't something he can never undo!"

They both looked at each other before looking back at her. "No."

With that, the door slammed in Thalia's face, and she was forced to go home without results, and without any power to change what her son was doing. 

 - - - - - -

Alyson had stayed with Alekzandor in his realm for two whole weeks. Each day, they made love, and he showed her his realm. He kept his promise and they had a picnic on the beach. She ran around on the sand, as little creature she imagined came to life and chased her. Sweet, tame little powder blue elephants that squeaked and made similar noises to their counter parts. Inspiration had stuck Alekzandor and he used the basis for that creature to create something new in his realm. A pale green elephant headed man with six tits that sprayed acid and a long tail that could break titanium. The souls suffering in his realm now ran from this fearsome creature while he sat comfortably on the beach watching the woman he loved play with the creatures she'd imagined, and he brought to life. 

Though it was odd. Whenever he created something, he usually had the thought pass through his head and then the things took form. Now, whenever Alyson thought of something, his powers seemed to be making it happen without his knowledge, it was curious, but he left the matter alone. He could think on it all later. It's not like they would all be here once she left. They were only being created because she wanted them here, so their existence was temporary, once she left, so would they. He tried not to think about that. He didn't want to think about the fact that soon she would be leaving him, and he would never be able to do this again. 

"Oh my god they're so cute!" She gushed as she collapsed onto the blanket, wrapping her arms tightly around him and fell with him onto the ground. "Thank you so much!"

He laughed as he met her kisses with patience and love. "You're very welcome."

"What are we having?" She asked looking over the display of food. Everything she loved to eat was laid out for her, but there was a round fruit she had never seen before. She took it and held the fussy thing in her hand. "What's this?"

"It's a peach."

Her eyes widened and she looked down at him. "But that's impossible, they're so rare."

"Not in the Divine realm, they're pretty common here. My grandmother and aunt grow them for fun."

"Can I eat this?"

He took the fruit from her hand and using his thumb, he broke open the fruit and handed her a piece. As she moved to take it from his hand, he pulled it back a little. Grinning as he did so. She smiled, and leaned, knowing what he wanted her to do. She ate the some of the fruit right out of his hand. Using her lick to clean the spill away juices as they ran down his hand. His breathing quickened as she teased him. She was surprised he lasted as long as he did when he finally broke, throwing the fruit away and crushing his mouth against her own, throwing her down on the blanket and took her there on the beach. Divine magic was something amazing, the blanket never moved, despite the roughness of his movements and the many positions he put her body in. No sand got onto her skin or in places they shouldn't. 

She didn't fight him, she accepted him, and when he finally stopped, she pushed him down onto his back and mounted him. Riding him as he attempted to catch his breath. When they both lay spend on the blanket, they watched the sun go down over the waves, and the moon rise over the black water. Black waters, that began to glow. Everything beneath the waves began to emit a neon glow. She got up and wandered to the edge of the water, she wanted to dive beneath those waves and explore the world that glowed so bright in the darkness. In that moment, she fell to the ground. 

"Okay, I maybe clumsy, but even that was odd." 

Alekzandor got up and wandered over to her, "Look at your legs Alyson."

She did as he said and gasped, her legs were no longer there, instead, there was a tail. A mermaids tail, glowing a bright neon blue. She looked up at him, beaming with excitement and fascination. "Can I?"

He nodded. "Nothing will harm you."

She looked toward the water then back up at him. "Think you can help me?"

He lifted her into his arms and began to walk toward the water. 

"Are you planning on joining me?"

"I can't swim."

She gave him a funny look. "Sweetheart, once you're beneath those waves, the form you take will know what to do."

He smiled softly and kissed her head. "I would, but someone needs to keep watch and make sure my monsters down there don't touch you, I have a better vantage point here and more power since I'm closer to my base."

She could tell there was some lies in there, but she let the matter go, he wanted her to have this moment, and he needed a few alone. When he put down in the water, she dove under and took off. She expected there to be some difficultly, swimming with a tail instead of her legs, instead, it was effortless. She flew through the water, chasing after the colorful fish and exploring the world that glowed against the black that surrounded it. She had so much fun, she almost didn't notice the monsters that deep within the black. She couldn't see them, but she could sure as heck feel them. They were crowded together, pressing themselves against the barrier that Alekzandor made, lurking, trying to get closer. 

She could feel their blood lust. Their whole purpose their reason for creation was to hunt, to kill, to cause unimaginable pain, and they had their next target in their sights. Her. 

At first she could ignore them. At first, she was lost in the glory of it all, experiencing something so magical, it had only ever existed in imagination before. It was better than she could ever have imagined it before. But soon, the water thickened with animosity, and the creatures were getting hungrier and hungrier. As the feeling got worse, the more she became afraid. She wanted to be by Alekzandor again. He would protect her. He always had. 

She swam for the surface, once she breathed the air again, her legs returned to her and she walked up to him. Looking him square in the eyes, she frowned. "That wasn't very nice."

The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

"I'm not a nice person Alyson." He said firmly. "I may be with you, but you are the only exception of those who I'm nice to outside my family."

"What was that?" She asked pointing to the water. "You have the power to keep them far far away, and the vibes they send out, and you could have come down there with me. This wasn't about you protecting me, this was about giving me something I wanted and then scaring me into leaving."

Once again she was right to the point it almost scared him. It felt more like she read his mind than he could read hers. "It's better if you hate me when you leave."

She walked up to him and took her face in his. "Don't do this. Not to me, not yourself. Yes, leaving will be difficult for us both. But do not sully what we've had, what we feel for each other by trying to turn me against you. It won't work. I love you Alekzandor, and nothing you can do will ever turn me against you."

He stared at her for a long moment. She had never said it, and he had never dared voice it before either. For all of their time together over the last two weeks, all of the times they made love, their never said the words. They said with their bodies as they connected in passion. They said it as their lips touched lips and skin. 

He broke. One second they were on the beach, the next they were in bed. This time, he stripped her slowly, letting his hands and fingers linger over her skin as he pulled the dress from her body. He kissed his way over her body, her shoulders, her back, the back of her legs down to her ankles. He flipped her over, kissing his way up her body, lingering over her sensitive areas, lavishing them with his mouth and tongue until she was crying out and panting from the contact. At last when he settled on her lips, he let her flip him to his back as she explored his body much the same way. 

When they he finally gave them what they both wanted, he slid in slowly, taking her slowly. Having it all build with each movement he made. She rose to meet him, wrapping a leg around his lower back and her arms around his shoulder. She said his name as the passion built, as their movements began to quicken slightly in the anticipation of release. He shuddered and emptied himself in her body her whispered her name against her skin. Kissing her one last time he rolled to his back. 

"When you wake up, you'll be back there." He said breathlessly. 

"Will you say it?" She asked softly. 

No words came after that, sleep claimed him, his lingering power was enough to ensure that his promise would be done. When she woke up, she would back in her body, and in all likelihood she would never see the man she loved again. She didn't want to go sleep. Not yet. Instead, she rose, in the corner of the room there was a desk, with a pen and paper on it. She walked over, and began to write him a note. 

My love, 

I know why you won't say the words. You're afraid, and I understand. But I know what's in your heart, and if you asked me. I would gladly leave the mortal realm for yours. I would stay here forever with you.

But I know this cannot be. I have to go back. I have to set things right with my family, make sure the babies are looked after, and set things right with Rick. I won't be marrying him. I don't know what will happen, but I do know that I will not be marrying him. 

I love you. I always have, and I always will. 

Alyson. 

She set the note on the pillow that she used, and watched his sleeping face. She loved this man so much, and the thought of waking up without him, had her crying. She wandered back over the wall that held the desk, and curled up against it. Crying silently as her heart broke. When she had cried herself out, she closed her eyes and sleep took her. Immediately she was met with familiar smells and sounds that indicated she was in a hospital, when she opened her eyes, she knew she was back. She was still in the hospital bed, an iv drip hooked into her left arm, an oxygen tube running through her nostrils, and sleeping on the bed to her left was her parents. In the chair to her right was Rick, also asleep. Her hand was no longer in his death grip, but she could feel the soreness in it and knew he had gripped it very hard. 

She rolled over onto her left side and fell asleep again. This time, falling into true sleep, where she dreamed of little blue elephants, neon ocean life with a black world around it, towards the end was a little baby, with brown hair and dark eyes, laying on the bed in Alekzandor's realm staring up at her with a bright smile giggling as it kicked it's legs. 

When she woke the second time, her parents were awake, talking quietly.

"He needs to leave, he's just causing problems being here."

"I agree Angela, but there's nothing we can do."

"If the bride wants him gone, he has to leave." Alyson said softly. 

Her parents turn and relief could be seen on their faces. Her mother wrapped her arms around her as Ethan sat behind her and hugged them both tightly. 

"Oh my god you're okay!" Her mother sobbed. 

"We were both so worried." Ethan said as his own tears fell. 

She smiled as her tears fell. "I'm okay really I am. How long was I out for?"

"Two days." Her mother sniffed pulling back and taking Alyson's face in her own. "Let me look you at baby, I need to see you're okay."

Alyson let her mother fuss, and hugged her back when her mother fell into arms sobbing again. She could hear Rick's steps approaching and looked up at her stepfather. 

"Please, send him away. I don't want to see him, or deal with him right now."

Ethan nodded, closing the curtain around her bed before stepping out into the hall. She heard Rick curse as he had to stop. 

"Fuck man! You made me spill my coffee."

"My apologies, I'll buy you another one."

"No thanks, I've been gone long enough. I need to get back in there now."

"You need to leave Rick."

"I told you I'm not leaving until she wakes up!"

"She is awake."

"Then let me in god damn it! I need to see her!"

"No." Ethan said firmly. "She doesn't want to see you, and if you don't leave this moment, I will call security and after they confirm she doesn't want you here, you will not be allowed back in. Leave. You can see her when she's discharged."

"This is bullshit! You're poisoning her against me! Aren't you!?"

"Believe me, I want to, but I'm proud to say this decision came from her."

There was a long moment of silent before she heard Rick turn and leave. She sighed in relief and relaxed back against the hospital bed. For another two days, she did as the doctors and nurses told her. They didn't want to release her, but she was healthy, and healing fine, there was nothing they could do to keep her there. So they were forced to send her home. The minute she walked through the door she was greeted by smiling faces and tearful expressions of happiness. She hugged them all, and spent the rest of the day with them, catching up on everything they'd been through while she was away. When she finally made her way up to her room, she found more of Alekzandor's candles lined up neatly on the floor, the dress he'd given her laid across her bed, and a bowl of peaches on her beside table. As she packed away the candles and changed into the dress she cried at the loss of him. She curled up in bed, and fell asleep, wishing she could see him again.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ 

Alekzandor let sleep claim him. He didn't dare let himself wake up. He floated in the black abyss that had always been like home to him when he slept. Now, it felt like what it was, a version of Hell, cold, and unwelcoming. When he emerged from the sleep, he laid curled into a ball and wept till he passed out again. When he woke the second time, he took all of his power and cast it out over his realm. All of his occupants looked up toward the sky, as their memories returned and the knowledge of everything returned to them. They knew who they were, they knew what they did to deserve to be there, and they knew that their warden was about to hurt them far worse than he ever had before. 

They all stood frozen in place, unable to move from that spot, staring up at the sky. Clouds covered everything, and instead of rain that fell from them, acid, tar, boiling oil, and fire balls alternated and fell on the stationary victims. They felt all of the pain as their skin melted from their bodies and they were left merely skeletons till even they disintegrated into a pile of dust that in no way resembled who they once were. Then they reformed, and went through the process all over again when the next substance fell. 

With that done, he laid as still as possible till a squeak made him jump. He rose off the bed for a moment, then he realized he was still on the bed. It should have all vanished right after Alyson left, but everything she had wanted and he created was still there. On the floor, looking up at him with sorrowful eyes, missing Alyson. He sighed and let them climb up on the bed and curl up with him. Their silent tears falling. He must have wanted them all to stay. So he could remember her, so he could always have some part of her with him. 

He closed his eyes and did the same thing for her. He wanted her to have something, something that would remind her of the time they had together and she would always think of him when she saw them. It was the least he could do he supposed. 

He pulled the pillow she used closer to him and heard the crinkle of paper. He opened his eyes and looked at the piece of paper that now lay slightly crinkled on the bed. Curious he took it and read it. She had left the bed after he had fallen asleep, wrote him the letter, and if his powers were correct in showing him the past, she didn't come back to bed, she curled up on the floor and cried herself to sleep. He fell against the pillow, and wept till he passed out again. 

 - - - - - - - -

The minute his realm was unlocked, Thalia rushed to Alekzandor's side. They had felt the wave of heartache and fury  as Alekzandor fell apart and cast it out. When she entered his coliseum (at least that's what she thought it was) and found changes. So many changes. A bed near the back, there was light there, a hint of warmth, when usually this place was bare, dark, and cold. Her son usually slept on the floor, or he slept down in his realm, surrounded by the madness he created. 

Along with the bed, there was more furniture, a few plants, and on the bed surrounding her son, were a bunch of powder blue elephants. They let out a loud squeak when they saw her, Alekzandor shh'ed them and they fell silent, once again laying around him, snuggling in close to him. Something even she couldn't do, even in his baby days. 

She stepped further into the room, waiting for his power to waft over her. But there was nothing. She could sense that he had his full power, and he could use it, but it wasn't out of control like it had been in the past. She didn't feel the constant prick of needles and pins in her skin when she was around her son. She stood for a moment in shock. He was in control, he had control of his powers now. She wanted to rush to his side and embrace him, but she knew such actions would scare him off. Instead she approached slowly and sat down on the bed and ran her fingers through his hair like she used to when he was a child. 

"Is there anything I can do?"

"No."

She nodded and looked around the place. "You've made a lot of changes here."

"She wanted. I kept them."

"Want to go get a milk shake? You used to love going to get those with me."

"Not right now."

"Well, maybe we could take a walk down on the back that you have here."

"No offense mom, I appreciate the gesture, but I just want to wallow in my pain for awhile."

Thalia leaned down and kissed his cheek. "You know how to reach me if you need me."

"Mom." 

She stopped her departure and looked back at her son. "Yes Alekzandor?"

"Thanks."

She smiled and left before he saw her tears. She went home and collapsed into Graeson's arms. He had been pacing, worried, since they felt the wave come from Alekzandor's realm. She noticed first when the barrier dropped and went to him immediately without telling Graeson. 

"What's the matter? What happened? Is he alright?"

She surfaced and laughed a bit. "He's heartbroken, so no, it's not alright. I'm not sure what happened, but she was here. Alyson. He sent her back and now he's hurting."

Graeson sighed. "There has to be something we can do."

"No." Thalia shook her head. "It's not something we can do, or help with. We just have to be there for him. No matter what."

"What's gotten into you?"

She smiled up at his puzzled face. "I'm beginning to realize that my father does have a master plan, and we're all a part of it. Alekzandor is no exception." She laughed as she voiced the thought that had popped into her head. "Perhaps there is order to the madness after all."